Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-07-09
CALIFORNIA PIONEERS.
The Great Work They Have Accom-
piishcd and the Foundations Laid.

EDS. RECoRD-UNIoN The settlement of
California by the pioneers IN 1919 and 1850
was one OF those events which have pro-
duced as great results as almost any in
modern times. Greece has had her Mara
thon, Sparta has inscribed her name on the
immortal page of history by the patriotism
of that Spartan band of heroes who, under
the leadership of Leonidas, gave their lives
in defense of the liberty of their country,
but our early pioneers, who dared the perils
of painless wilderness or doubled the ice
bound shores Of Cape Horn to reach the
Golden Gate, came to plant freedoms ban
ner and lay the foundation of great COM
monwealth on the shores of the Pacific
How well they have performed their work
| the future growth of California will tell.
When the Convention met in 1S49 at
Monterey, to form State Constitution, the
pioneers declared that California's escut-
cheon should never be stained by the adop-
ton of slavery. Many of these pioneers
were the descendants of pilgrim ancestors,
who would not desecrate the golden sands
of California by the curse of slavery. Like
our pilgrim fathers, these brave pioneers,
when they launched their fortunes and
lives on the experimental wave of Calitor-
MAS golden sands, knew not the hardships,
sutferings and trials to which they had SUBJ
jected themselves. We believe that no
historical pen can ever do them Justice, nor
language describe their privations and suf-
ferings while laying the foundation of
social and civil liberty in this majestic en-
pire of the west. No States of our Union at
the present time have finer or greater pros
poets of rapid growth or improvement in
all the various industries which build up
commercial agricultural and manufactur-
ing interests.
The early California pioneers were the
path-finderS to civilization on Pacifics
shores, as well as the defenders OF human
ity and the social and civil rights four race.
When the pioneers first saw the hills al
wales of California no fair vision of tow
and cities beautified the landscape, but its
sylvan bowers were clothed with natures
wild robes. and its citizens were mostly of
Indian descent We do not say but that it
was a majestic landscape, but it was not
dotted by cottages, universities, school
houses and churches. They have been
built and endowed by the will and
energy of the California pioneers. They
found California without order, and desti-
tute of civil or social institutions.
What the State is now the pioneers have
made it. They will now have the proud
satisfaction of leaving it as priceless herit-
age to the sons and daughters of the Golden
West. We know that it is the pioneers
beacon star of hope in its future that to our
children, as life's visions are passing away,
we can confide the honor and welfare Of
this great State to their care with a full re-
lance in the preservation of all its immu-
mites.
When l read in the RECORD UNION of
the organization at Washington of Ma
tional Association California Pioneers, and
that the Pathfinder had been chosen Presi-
dent OF the Association, | then saw q ray
of hope that this eastern pioneer sunbeam
would still keep alive in the nations
memory the glorious record of CALIFORNIA;
| early pioneers. We cannot believe that
| the banner of the pioneers was ever stained
| by an nc. Of Injustice. Without Courts or
laws, they Were force to leave the decision
of many cases to tribunal known as
Judge Lynch. But whether the standard
| bearer of the California pioneers was Judge
Lynch or Judge Law, that banner always
carried with it the smybol of Justice. If a
wrong has ever been done by this advance
guard in civilization to rights or interest.
OF any person, | believe that it was caused
by fallible judgment and not through
malice or for the purpose of revenge.
Our early pioneers were always ready to
aid the sick, to relieve distress, and also to
| peril their lives in defense of right There
has never been any great work conceived
or accomplished in this State but that bears
the impress of California's pioneers. In
| law, literature. in the arts and sciences,
and on the judicial bench, and in the
forum, there you find the California pio-
neers. Who was that it helped to span the
continent with iron rails but those old
pioneers. Stanford, Huntington, Hopkins
| and the Crockers? Who was it that spread
the sails of commerce and opened the
| gates of the Oriental World, but our pio-
neer merchant princes, who now hold in
but also the inland trade of the Pacific
| coast? In manufactures in mechanical and
agricultural industries it is by the pluck
and energy of the pioneers that California
now stands side by side with her sister
States in all the elements which constitute
progressive improvement. Z. S. HALL.
Plymouth, July 4, 1887